


In Which They're Both Idiots, But Sappy Ones

by sinspiration



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-10-05
Updated: 2009-10-05
Packaged: 2018-04-03 16:05:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4106866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sinspiration/pseuds/sinspiration
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur never wants it to stop, doesn't think he'd be able to even if the castle decided to come down around his ears, if someone walked in, if--if Merlin needed him to.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Which They're Both Idiots, But Sappy Ones

It started out slow, the way things often do when both sides are oblivious and stupid for the other and just a bit insufferable. That didn't change the overall  _want_  and  _need_  and  _please, finally._  
  
It's not the first time they're in bed together, but Arthur had been busy for a week with politics and training, kept hopping so that his free time was divided between meals with more discussion and falling exhausted into bed at the end of the day. So there was that. There was also the hunting trip that afternoon, where the horse Merlin was leading spooked (and the stableboy was going to  _pay_  for lending out an untrained foal of a hunting horse). Merlin had gotten "just a bit trampled" and assured everyone he was fine, but it hadn't stopped something squeezing inside Arthur's chest and wanting the day to just  _end_ , end early, so he could take his manservant back to his room and love him a little bit, like they'd been missing. So there was that too.  
  
Now he's bending over Merlin, covering him with his body and just touching and tasting with Merlin taking just as much, Merlin writhing beneath him, Merlin making the little mewling sounds that Arthur prides himself on bringing about, and they're both so close and it's so--" _perfect_ \--" Arthur never wants it to stop, doesn't think he'd be able to even if the castle decided to come down around his ears, if someone walked in, if--if Merlin needed him to.  
  
He moves just a little bit, presses down just a bit more, and then hears a gasp that isn't--doesn't sound good, but the heat is there, with desire and want and need and  
  
"Stop!"  
  
It's a pained cry, and Arthur is up and whirling to the far side of the bed before he even fully registers why. Merlin is pale and trembly but not with pleasure, his hands going to clench over a darkening bruise Arthur failed to notice and now curses himself for.  
  
"Move your hand," Arthur demands, crawling forward again. "Let me see." Merlin does, and Arthur gently ghosts his fingers over the mottled skin. He strongly suspects it's more then just a bruise. "Idiot," he says, partly to himself. "Why didn't you  _say_  something."  _How did I not_   _notice?_  
  
Merlin breathes deep, and then manages a somewhat apologetic grin. "I missed you. You didn't want to wait either." The grin fades into complete apology. "I thought I could handle it."  
  
"You're an  _idiot_ ," and this time it's all to Merlin. Arthur climbs off the bed and goes to get the salve he uses after particularly hard training sessions. "Hurt anywhere else?" Merlin shakes his head.  
  
"Sorry," he says again.  
  
"Shut up," says Arthur, carefully applying the salve in slow circles around the injured area. "You should really show Giaus this. You might have bruised the bone."  
  
Merlin grabs the jar away from Arthur and sets it on the floor. Then he grabs for Arthur. "Tomorrow. I'll go tomorrow, all right? I just--" He pauses. "Come back to bed. Please?"  
  
Arthur does, but only because Merlin actually doesn't ask for all that much, at least in earnest, and also because Merlin is injured and Arthur still feels a bit bad (though also kind of irritated). He curls around Merlin, careful of his injured side, and Merlin tucks his head into the crook of Arthur's neck and that is also a sort of want, and need, and  _perfect_ , because it's how it's supposed to be. Even if Merlin's an idiot.


End file.
